San Jose State students tackle academic shortcomings with AI

When a team of San Jose State University business students recognized the path toward academic counseling and course curriculum was complicated and messy, they turned to AI for a solution. Gabriel Castaneda, co-founder of CollegeBot.AI, said the students launched the artificial intelligence platform as a startup company to help students navigate through their class requirements and address long wait times for face-to-face appointments with university advisors. The five students, who beat out 35 other teams at the 2024 Silicon Valley Innovation Challenge event held at SJSU on Dec. 3, attracted not just students but venture capitalists and angel investors. “At first it was…